Facts about Utania - 37
certainly has safe water, and most of the west and south has safe water, there are parts that may not. Chiquiti and Kanharan regions of Utania, in the south-west are currently suffering from a myriad of water-borne diseases, so it is best to boil the water. Boiling water at higher altitudes is at a lower temperature than at sea level, so boil it for longer.      In risk areas, be careful with bottled water, always check that the seal is in place. Be careful with juice, too, that it hasn't been watered down. Offer to pay more to have the concentrate if necessary, and most Utanians will oblige. Utanians often don't appreciate the dangers to tourists of unboiled water, so if in doubt assume the worst. Also, be careful with unpackaged milk, as it often isn't pasteurised.      If boiling isn't possible, iodine tablets are often a good substitute, though pass the water through a simple filter first (a nylon mesh bag will suffice) as iodine does not work well in dirty water. Food In water-risk areas, vegetables and fruit should be peeled and washed in clean water. Thoroughly cooked food is safest, but not if it's been left to cool and reheated. Under-cooked meat should be avoided. Utania is one of the safest countries for foods and food preparation, but if you're in doubt cooking for yourself is the safest way.      Watch out also while you're traveling that your caution about food and water doesn't leave you malnourished. Make sure your diet is well-balanced, and that you get sufficient water - don't rely on being thirsty to tell you when to drink water. Very dark urine or not needing to regularly urinate are danger signs. Take a water bottle wherever you go, and if you're hiking, sweating can quickly deprive your body of salts, so salt tablets are good preventives for muscle cramp.      Eggs, nuts and beans are the simplest way to get proteins, and peelable fruit is the safest source of vitamins. Try to get a fair share of grains or rice, too. Boiled rice is readily available across the country and safe to eat if recently boiled. If you do have insufficient food intake, vitamin and iron pills are best. Heat-related hazards Hot weather, if you're not used to it, can lead to all manner of problems, especially if you're coupling this with walking and hiking. Having said this, as Utania is in the same high-temperature belt as 80% of the globe, few will experience troubles they've never encountered before. For those of cooler climates, please see the "Lonely Vexillium Guide to Tropical Climate Traveling".		Sunburn is a risk even when it's overcast, or on cool sunny days. Sunscreen creme, sunhat and sunglasses offer the best prevention. Heat exhaustion, heatstroke are all possible consequences of the heat aside from sunburn. For the latter three, take care to avoid overly vigorous hikes in hot weather and consume large quantities of water. Fungal infections are also common where hot weather prevails, especially when it is also humid. Prickly heat is an itchy rash from excessive perspiration being trapped under the skin, and is treated by drying the skin and keeping it dry. Hypothermia and Altitude Sickness Altitude sickness is common above 2500 metres. Virana and Navoomi are at these levels, as are many of the ruins from the days of the Savaj Empire. It is due to lower levels of oxygen at those heights, and will affect most people for weeks until they acclimatize to it. With less oxygen in the air, the lungs must work faster and harder to gather the same oxygen. The muscles and brain will be affected.      Acute Mountain Syndrome (AMS) affects a few within 24 hours, but the symptoms may not appear for up to three weeks. Mild symptoms include dizziness, lethargy, headaches, loss of appetite and insomnia. Severe symptoms include breathlessness, a dry irritating cough, loss of coordination and balance, vomiting, drowsiness and losing consciousness. AMS has been fatal at 3000 metres, though usually above 3500 metres fatalities occur. Navoomi is at 3200 metres      Treatment for the mild symptoms of AMS is to stop and stay at the same altitude until recovery, a day or two. Drug treatments should never be used to avoid descent or enable further ascent. To avoid AMS, ascend slowly taking time at each new altitude to acclimatize, drink additional fluids, eat light, high-energy meals and avoid sedatives and alcohol. Infectious diseases Many diseases are relatively unknown in Utania, but risks remain. Diarrhea is the most common, particularly for recent arrivals to the country, and the biggest risk here is fluid loss. Consume plenty of fluids, and use urine volume and colour as a litmus test of how much water to consume - if intensely yellow and small in volume, then consume significantly more fluid. Rehydration salts may also be necessary. In more extreme cases, such as diarrhea with blood or mucus (dysentery), medical attention is required urgently.
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